Excretion of SARS-CoV-2 through faecal specimens

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic with increasing numbers of cases worldwide. SARS-CoV-2, the causative virus of COVID-19, is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets or through direct and indirect contact with an infected person. The possibility of potential faecal-or...

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Main Authors: Yong Zhang, Cao Chen, Yang Song, Shuangli Zhu, Dongyan Wang, Hui Zhang, Guangyue Han, Yuwei Weng, Jun Xu, Jianan Xu, Pengbo Yu, Weijia Jiang, Xianda Yang, Zhongkai Lang, Dongmei Yan, Yanhai Wang, Jingdong Song, George Fu Gao, Guizhen Wu, Wenbo Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2020-01-01
Series:Emerging Microbes and Infections
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2020.1844551
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author Yong Zhang
Cao Chen
Yang Song
Shuangli Zhu
Dongyan Wang
Hui Zhang
Guangyue Han
Yuwei Weng
Jun Xu
Jianan Xu
Pengbo Yu
Weijia Jiang
Xianda Yang
Zhongkai Lang
Dongmei Yan
Yanhai Wang
Jingdong Song
George Fu Gao
Guizhen Wu
Wenbo Xu
author_facet Yong Zhang
Cao Chen
Yang Song
Shuangli Zhu
Dongyan Wang
Hui Zhang
Guangyue Han
Yuwei Weng
Jun Xu
Jianan Xu
Pengbo Yu
Weijia Jiang
Xianda Yang
Zhongkai Lang
Dongmei Yan
Yanhai Wang
Jingdong Song
George Fu Gao
Guizhen Wu
Wenbo Xu
author_sort Yong Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic with increasing numbers of cases worldwide. SARS-CoV-2, the causative virus of COVID-19, is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets or through direct and indirect contact with an infected person. The possibility of potential faecal-oral transmission was investigated in this study. We collected 258 faecal specimens from nine provinces in China and detected the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2 using real-time RT–PCR. Vero cells were used to isolate the virus from SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid positive samples, after which sequencing of Spike gene in eight samples was performed. In all, 93 of 258 (36%) stool samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The positive rates of critical, severe, moderate, and mild patients were 54.4%, 56.1%, 30.8%, and 33.3%, respectively. The content of nucleic acid increased within 2 weeks after the onset of the disease. From the perspective of clinical typing, the nucleic acid can be detected in the faeces of critical patients within two weeks and until four to five weeks in the faeces of severe and mild patients. SARS-CoV-2 was isolated from stool specimens of two severe patients. Four non-synonymous mutations in Spike gene were newly detected in three stool samples. A small number of patients had strong faecal detoxification ability. The live virus in faeces could be an important source of contamination, which may lead to infection and further spread in areas with poor sanitary conditions. The findings of this study have public health significance and they should be considered when formulating disease control strategies.
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spelling doaj-art-218d4e71906b4aa5a24734ce5fdbcdfa2025-08-20T02:12:20ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512020-01-01912501250810.1080/22221751.2020.1844551Excretion of SARS-CoV-2 through faecal specimensYong Zhang0Cao Chen1Yang Song2Shuangli Zhu3Dongyan Wang4Hui Zhang5Guangyue Han6Yuwei Weng7Jun Xu8Jianan Xu9Pengbo Yu10Weijia Jiang11Xianda Yang12Zhongkai Lang13Dongmei Yan14Yanhai Wang15Jingdong Song16George Fu Gao17Guizhen Wu18Wenbo Xu19NHC key laboratory for Medical Virology, NHC key laboratory for biosafety. National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.NHC key laboratory for Medical Virology, NHC key laboratory for biosafety. National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.NHC key laboratory for Medical Virology, NHC key laboratory for biosafety. National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.NHC key laboratory for Medical Virology, NHC key laboratory for biosafety. National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.NHC key laboratory for Medical Virology, NHC key laboratory for biosafety. National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.Gansu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou City, People’s Republic of ChinaHebei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shijiazhuang City, People’s Republic of ChinaFujian Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fuzhou City, People’s Republic of ChinaHeilongjiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin City, People’s Republic of ChinaSichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu City, People’s Republic of ChinaShaanxiProvincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Xi'an City, People’s Republic of China.Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guiyang City, People’s Republic of ChinaJilin Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Changchun City, People’s Republic of ChinaChongqing Wanzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chongqing City, People’s Republic of ChinaNHC key laboratory for Medical Virology, NHC key laboratory for biosafety. National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.NHC key laboratory for Medical Virology, NHC key laboratory for biosafety. National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.NHC key laboratory for Medical Virology, NHC key laboratory for biosafety. National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.NHC key laboratory for Medical Virology, NHC key laboratory for biosafety. National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.NHC key laboratory for Medical Virology, NHC key laboratory for biosafety. National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.NHC key laboratory for Medical Virology, NHC key laboratory for biosafety. National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic with increasing numbers of cases worldwide. SARS-CoV-2, the causative virus of COVID-19, is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets or through direct and indirect contact with an infected person. The possibility of potential faecal-oral transmission was investigated in this study. We collected 258 faecal specimens from nine provinces in China and detected the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2 using real-time RT–PCR. Vero cells were used to isolate the virus from SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid positive samples, after which sequencing of Spike gene in eight samples was performed. In all, 93 of 258 (36%) stool samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The positive rates of critical, severe, moderate, and mild patients were 54.4%, 56.1%, 30.8%, and 33.3%, respectively. The content of nucleic acid increased within 2 weeks after the onset of the disease. From the perspective of clinical typing, the nucleic acid can be detected in the faeces of critical patients within two weeks and until four to five weeks in the faeces of severe and mild patients. SARS-CoV-2 was isolated from stool specimens of two severe patients. Four non-synonymous mutations in Spike gene were newly detected in three stool samples. A small number of patients had strong faecal detoxification ability. The live virus in faeces could be an important source of contamination, which may lead to infection and further spread in areas with poor sanitary conditions. The findings of this study have public health significance and they should be considered when formulating disease control strategies.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2020.1844551COVID-19faecal specimensfaecal-oral transmissionclinical typingpublic health
spellingShingle Yong Zhang
Cao Chen
Yang Song
Shuangli Zhu
Dongyan Wang
Hui Zhang
Guangyue Han
Yuwei Weng
Jun Xu
Jianan Xu
Pengbo Yu
Weijia Jiang
Xianda Yang
Zhongkai Lang
Dongmei Yan
Yanhai Wang
Jingdong Song
George Fu Gao
Guizhen Wu
Wenbo Xu
Excretion of SARS-CoV-2 through faecal specimens
Emerging Microbes and Infections
COVID-19
faecal specimens
faecal-oral transmission
clinical typing
public health
title Excretion of SARS-CoV-2 through faecal specimens
title_full Excretion of SARS-CoV-2 through faecal specimens
title_fullStr Excretion of SARS-CoV-2 through faecal specimens
title_full_unstemmed Excretion of SARS-CoV-2 through faecal specimens
title_short Excretion of SARS-CoV-2 through faecal specimens
title_sort excretion of sars cov 2 through faecal specimens
topic COVID-19
faecal specimens
faecal-oral transmission
clinical typing
public health
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2020.1844551
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